Combination hormone therapy enhances the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women, according to novel analyses from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute re-analyzed data from the landmark Women's Health Initiative clinical trial of the effects of combination hormone therapy-progestin in combination with estrogen-in 16,608 post-menopausal women with an intact uterus, ages 50-79 years at enrollment.

The study found a trend toward an increased risk of heart disease during the first two years of hormone therapy among women who began therapy within 10 years of menopause, and a more marked elevation of risk among women who began hormone therapy more than 10 years after menopause.

"Today, most women who take hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms begin therapy shortly after menopause. Based on today's report, even these women appear to be at increased risk of heart disease for several years after starting combination hormone therapy," Dr. Susan B. Shurin, acting director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said in a statement.

"It is clearer than ever that women who are considering post-menopausal hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms should discuss their risk of heart disease and other risks-such as breast cancer, stroke, and dangerous blood clots-with their doctors before starting therapy," she added.

Disclaimer: The news story on this page is the copyright of the cited publication. This has been reproduced here for visitors to review, comment on and discuss. This is in keeping with the principle of ‘Fair dealing’ or ‘Fair use’. Visitors may click on the publication name, in the news story, to visit the original article as it appears on the publication’s website.

Records of published articles in the newspapers helps common people about precautions to be taken while seeking the services from health professionals and also helps health professionals to rectify the negligence.read more…

Aarogya Network

aarogya.com aims to be India’s leading comprehensive health information portal. The site has sections, which cover almost all the medical specialties and give useful information on various diseases. To enhance its reach, the content is available in Indian languages too. We were the first health website to introduce online support groups. Addiction support and Epilepsy support are examples of some very active and vibrant communities.